Health

The Federal Government has increased annual admissions into nursing schools from about 20,000 to 50,000 students as part of efforts to address the country’s shortage of healthcare professionals and strengthen the health sector. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interview with journalists, explaining that the move is part of wider education reforms aimed at developing the skilled workforce needed to support President Bola Tinubu’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030. According to Alausa, the administration is prioritising investment in human capital by expanding access to professional education, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare. He said the government’s long-term objective is to position Nigeria as a global supplier of skilled professionals capable of driving economic growth at home while competing successfully in international labour markets. The minister noted that admissions into nursing schools have more than doubled since the current administration took office, rising from around 20,000 to approximately 50,000 students annually. He added that enrolment into medicine, pharmacy and dentistry programmes has also been significantly expanded to help close the country’s healthcare workforce gap. Alausa expressed confidence that the increased training capacity would begin to ease the shortage of nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals as more graduates enter the workforce over the coming years. He described education as a key pillar of the administration’s economic agenda, saying it would play a central role in achieving sustainable growth and supporting the President’s development objectives. The minister also assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was designed to remain financially sustainable beyond the lifespan of the current administration. According to him, the scheme was carefully structured to ensure its long-term viability rather than serving as a short-term intervention. Alausa further stated that the government has restored relative industrial peace in tertiary institutions through continued engagement with academic and non-academic staff unions, noting that the improved stability is contributing to better performance across the higher education sector. Nigeria has continued to grapple with a shortage of healthcare workers due to years of limited training capacity and the increasing migration of nurses and doctors abroad in search of better pay and working conditions. The situation has placed additional pressure on the country’s healthcare system, particularly at the primary and secondary healthcare levels. To address the challenge, the Federal Government has expanded admissions into nursing and other health-related programmes while increasing investments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and other human capital development initiatives. The government believes these measures will help meet local healthcare demands while positioning Nigeria as a major source of skilled professionals for the global workforce.

A medical expert, Dr. Omotuyi Mebawondu, has explained that although men do not experience menopause in the same way women do, they can develop a condition known as Androgen Decline in the Aging Male (ADAM), commonly referred to as andropause. Speaking during Platforms Africa’s e-Discourse, Mebawondu said the term “male menopause” can be misleading because men do not experience the sudden hormonal changes seen in women during menopause. He explained that while menopause marks the permanent end of menstruation and ovulation in women after the ovaries stop releasing eggs, testosterone levels in men decline gradually, dropping by about one percent each year from around the ages of 30 to 40. According to him, menopause is a natural stage of aging in women and typically occurs after the age of 40. However, some women experience premature menopause due to factors such as the surgical removal of the ovaries, cancer, or certain medical treatments that affect ovarian function. On the male condition, Mebawondu said ADAM is an age-related decline in testosterone production caused by the gradual aging of the testes. He noted that unlike female menopause, the condition affects only a small percentage of men and is not considered a normal stage of male development. He added that doctors usually diagnose late-onset hypogonadism when a man presents multiple sexual symptoms alongside testosterone levels below 11 nanomoles per litre. The expert said testosterone plays a vital role in regulating sex drive, muscle mass and strength, bone density, fat distribution, sperm production, and red blood cell formation. As hormone levels decline with age, some men may experience reduced libido, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and increased abdominal fat. Mebawondu also noted that symptoms commonly linked to andropause may not always result from low testosterone alone. Conditions such as diabetes, chronic stress, excessive alcohol consumption, and emotional challenges during midlife can produce similar symptoms. He added that ADAM can affect men of all races, with symptoms developing once androgen levels fall below the body’s required threshold.